Since the military coup, Mon State has seen a collapse of law and order, with prolonged armed conflict fueling a string of unsolved killings within communities, according to local human rights activists.
Data compiled in Mon State shows that from January to May 2025, at least 20 people were killed and four injured in targeted assassinations.
Victims include individuals linked to drug trafficking, robbery, business activities, or the junta, with perpetrators potentially tied to the junta or resistance groups, human rights activists suggest.
Regardless of the motives—whether necessity or underlying disputes—these killings constitute grave human rights violations, said an official from the Human Rights Foundation of Monland.
“The rule of law has long been broken, so people no longer follow legal paths but resort to revenge and elimination tactics. From a human rights perspective, killing is a severe violation. It’s hard to judge without knowing the underlying causes,” they stated.
On 5 May, three young men suspected of drug-related activities were shot dead in Thaton Township. Similarly, in April, a beautician and a local man were killed in Mudon Township’s Ka Mar Wet town.
Despite the ongoing targeting of those involved in drug trafficking, families rarely report these cases to authorities, and local administrators fail to act, a Mudon resident said.
“Village leaders don’t do anything. Families don’t pursue complaints, especially in drug-related cases. They just let it go. Ordinary people are shocked at first, but drug dealers keep operating,” they explained.
The rampant extrajudicial killings have left residents feeling unsafe, and political figures urge the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) National Unity Government (NUG) to condemn such acts.
Frequent assassinations since the military coup have claimed numerous lives in Mon State, sources report.
Sent by IMNA.
